SPRINGFIELD - Hours in advance of the first snowflake hitting the ground, the city of Springfield announced it was closing school on Wednesday and ordering all but essential employees to remain at home.

In a press conference in city hall, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, flanked by city department heads, said the city is “erring on the side of caution” in the face of forecast after forecast predicting the city is going to get buried.

“We are facing a long-duration storm,” Sarno said. “It is going to be a very difficult time.”

In addition to schools being closed, city hall, the school department and other non-essential services will be closed.

Police, fire and the department of Public Works will be fully staffed.

School Superintendent Alan Ingram said only school custodians will be expected to report for duty, primarily to aid in snow removal at school sites.

Sarno is also private-sector employers to consider closing for the day, primarily to reduce the amount of traffic on the road as much as possible.

Forecasters are predicting the city could be hit by as much as 12-16 inches of snow, and winds of as much as 25 mph.

City Emergency Preparedness Director Robert Hassett said the snowfall amounts being forecast vary but every single forecast is calling for at least a double-digit snowfall.

“This is the first time I’ve seen them predict the chance of snow will be 100 percent,” Hassett said. “That’s what got my attention pretty quick.”

Sarno said the city is in a “Catch-22” situation. If he cancel snow and the storm fails to amount to anything significant, he is going to criticized, he said.

But if he does nothing and the city is buried, lives could be at risk, he said.

Palmer Superintendent Gerald A. Fournier said school is canceled for Wednesday due to the storm. Fournier said all extracurricular activities also have been canceled, as well as the School Committee meeting, which has been rescheduled to Jan. 19.

Palmer Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk said there is an emergency parking ban starting at 12 a.m. on Wednesday. No parking will be allowed on any street in the town from midnight until further notice, Frydryk said.